Whopper Value Meal – Hungry Jacks, October 2011

Details:
Product type	Meal/Set
Establishment type	Fast Food Chain
Hours of operation	24/7
Price	au$8.20
Options	+Cheese, Cola
Means of purchase	Drive Through
Payment options available	Visa, MasterCard, EFTPOS, Cash

Rating		Penalty
Affordability	22/25	Wait time >3 Mins
Value	9/10	Wait time >5 Mins
Enjoyment	19/25	Wait time >10 Mins
Satisfaction	18/25	Greasiness (/10)	-2
Presentation	4/5	Waste (/10)	-6
Appropriateness	10/10	Other issues

Overall Rating:     74/100 

Notes

Having a 24/7 HJ nearby is very convenient for those of us who work long hours and return home late. When returning home, the whopper value meal is simple enough not to demand much further thought from one’s tired mind and represents good enough value not to eat too far into the earnings that were the point of staying at work in the first place. The burger, the centrepiece of the whopper value meal, is of generous proportions and contains a thick, satisfying patty of something with a rich, meaty flavour, retaining a good deal of heat after the short drive and bearing slight burn marks as a result of the well publicised flame grilling process to which it had no doubt been subjected. The large slice of tomato adds flavour juiciness and is complimented by the tang of pickles and the source and the crunch of raw onion, which is applied conservatively so as not to overpower the other flavours. The bun is a little too sweet and soft, but no more than those of its main competitors. The whopper really does seem to live up to HJ’s slogan. The biggest let down, however, was the fries. They were, in the case of our example, far too salty. This may not always be the case, but what is clear, anyhow, is that they are always very boring, very generic strips of fried potato. They are too thin and dry to retain heat for long, which necessitates eating them before the burger if even a five minute drive is required to the place of consumption. Had the burger been complimented by better fries and less liberal application of ice to the drink, the satisfaction and enjoyment ratings would have been far higher. Perhaps when I rate the burger separately it will manage a 5 burger rating. What we have here is an extremely nice burger in the midst of a pretty average meal deal. Over all, given the low price, wide spread availability and always open drive through, the whopper value meal will undoubtedly do very well. However, the more discerning fast food consumer may well consider buying fries and a drink elsewhere and going through HJs drive through just for the burger.

Tropicana Meal – Red Rooster, October 2011

Details:
Product type	Meal/set
Establishment type	Fast food chain
Hours of operation	10am – 10pm every day, extended till 11pm fri and sat
Price	au$8.95
Options	NA
Means of purchase	Drive through
Payment options available	Visa, MasterCard, EFTPOS, Cash

Rating		Penalty
Affordability	15/25	Wait time >3 Mins	-5
Value	7/10	Wait time >5 Mins
Enjoyment	21/25	Wait time >10 Mins
Satisfaction	18/25	Greasiness (/10)	-3
Presentation	4/5	Waste (/10)	-6
Appropriateness	7/10	Other issues

Overall Rating:     58/100

Notes

The Tropicana Meal consists of chicken, chips and two pineapple rings. It is a regular set menu and comes served in a cardboard box. The rectangular cardboard box (see picture) keeps the components packed together well so they stay hot for some time. Those who prefer their chips crispy may not like this method of packing, but on the up side, the chips absorb some flavour from the chicken and its stuffing.  The price quoted here does not include a drink. This is disappointing and impinges a great deal on the affordability of this set. Once again it’s value rating is helped by high scores in enjoyment and satisfaction. Having said that, pineapple with chicken is not everybody’s cup of tea and though I love it, I know several people who don’t like it at all. The Tropicana Meal has in some ways got more in common with a local chicken shop than a fast food chain. Though this is endearing, it also creates some confusion about who Red Rooster are trying to compete with. It therefore earned the meal marks in satisfaction, but lost one or two for appropriateness. The Tropicana meal is an enjoyable treat, but most low income customers are unlikely to choose it on a regular basis because of it’s relatively high cost once a drink is factored in and the fact that a regular chicken and chips with gravy at a chicken shop offers a very similar experience but tends to cost a few dollars less. This meal should be considered a niche item, but from time to time, I do enjoy indulging in one when the mood arises.

Cheesy Nuggets – Red Rooster, October 2011

Details:
Product type	Menu item
Establishment type	Fast Food Chain
Hours of operation	10am – 10pm every day, extended till 11pm fri and sat
Price	au$5.25
Options	Sweet Chilli dipping sauce
Means of purchase	Drive through
Payment options available	Visa, MasterCard, EFTPOS, Cash

Rating		Penalty
Affordability	16/25	Wait time >3 Mins	-5
Value	9/10	Wait time >5 Mins
Enjoyment	23/25	Wait time >10 Mins
Satisfaction	21/25	Greasiness (/10)	-3
Presentation	3/5	Waste (/10)	-4
Appropriateness	10/10	Other issues

Overall Rating:     70/100 

       

                                

Notes

Chicken nuggets are a menu item shared by many fast food outlets. They can be stored frozen and prepared quickly in a deep fryer. A problem that has long plagued fast food consumers is that, when ordered as a take away or drive through item, they lose their heat quickly and are not all that nice cold or lukewarm. Red Rooster have – whether purposefully or by accident – found an ingenious solution to this problem in the cheesy nugget. Be including a layer of molten cheese beneath a crumb coating, the nuggets appear to retain their heat for fat longer than a conventional nugget. They remain true and appropriate to their genre while introducing an enhancement that makes them look, smell, feel and taste better than other comparable nuggets. My sample was hot enough to enjoy after a drive of some ten minutes. This is often important, since indulging in such foods is far more pleasant when it can be done somewhere with a view. In this case the view was of the TV in my lounge room. The wait time was a bit on the high side, causing a slight penalty at around four and a half minutes. However, perhaps this was a sign that the nuggets were freshly fried. The nuggets’ crunchy coating absorbed the frying oil well and the frying temperature must have been well regulated as they were neither burned nor any more greasy than is to be expected of a deep fried item. The addition of sesame seeds to the coating is pleasant and adds a wholesome flavour which complements the cheese well. The six nuggets I had made quite a filling snack and would constitute a light lunch for some. However, as an indulgent snack item, their menu price is not exactly peanuts and there is a limit to how often customers on a low budget will be able to afford them, especially when accompanying drinks are factored in, which would be desirable given the slightly salty taste. In terms of value, however, the levels of enjoyment and satisfaction are such that these nuggets compare extremely favourably with the nuggets of other fast food chains and there are few snacks of comparable desirability in this price bracket.  Cheesy nuggets are truly deserving of their four burger rating.